Frustration as Tomahawk plans stall
The Star reporter Sam Henderson explores why the land remains a blank canvas.
The site of the former Tomahawk School at the end of Luke St has become a bone of contention as plans to develop it for the community appear to have stalled.
The school was demolished in 2019, and six years on, the site remains underdeveloped: a bare concrete slab surrounded by a wide swathe of grass.
The local community made a submission to the 2024 annual plan, asking for planning help so residents and council staff could design the space together.
When that bid failed, residents spoke at the nine-year long-term plan hearing, asking for at least $800,000 to be set aside to develop the site as a recreation area.
The submission noted two community meetings held in 2023, both showing strong backing for redeveloping the site.
Otago Peninsula Community Board chairman Paul Pope organised a petition urging the council to fund landscaping at the site, which was signed by about 130 current and former residents.
An online survey drew 85 responses, with support for a recreation hub featuring native planting, a playground for young children, a half-court for basketball or netball and a pump track.
Resident Sally Dicey said the community was eager to see the site developed.
"We are quite special in that we are close to the city, but we have got a strong community identity."
But she was frustrated that discussions seemed to have gone nowhere.
"There has just been no follow up at all."
The area has seen new growth, such as 15 new houses on Sunset Tce and an additional 45 houses new houses expected.
"There's a lot of kids in that subdivision, a lot of young kids," Ms Dicey said.
"There is a really good vibe among the kids, so for them to actually come and have a basketball court, or a rebound wall for kicking a ball or that kind of thing [would be good].
"We are not asking for any buildings, we are asking for a recreation hub."
At present, it felt like development plans were "spinning in circles", Ms Dicey said.
Mr Pope said at least three facilitated meetings had been held previously with Dunedin City Council staff about the site's future.
"It needs to be built into the parks and recreation's work plan from now until the end of the year to make sure that the community are on the right track."
The community would even be willing to help fundraise if the council provided seed money in next year's annual plan and led the design and compliance work, he said.
"This is why the group actually need the support of the DCC."
Dunedin City Council group manager parks and recreation Heath Ellis said during the nine-year long-term plan process, councillors had considered a range of amenity requests, but decided not to allocate funding for the former Tomahawk School site.
Councillors asked staff to work with the relevant Tomahawk groups to present a submission including a plan for consideration at the 2026-27 annual plan process.
Dates for when the council's 2026-27 annual plan process would begin were yet to be set. Development stalled
• Tomahawk School closed in 2010.
• Ngāi Tahu Property bought the site before selling it to the Dunedin City Council in 2012.
• Discussion about community uses for the site began as far back as 2012.
• In 2016, the Dunedin City Council invited the community to suggest ways to use or develop the site.
• For a time, it appeared those plans would be shelved when a 20-year lease was offered to a local kindergarten.
• Those plans fell through in 2017, and the school was demolished in 2019.
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